Some dogs come in to be groomed, looking like their feet have not touched the ground since the last time we saw them. They are still clean. They are still fluffy. They look like they have not had a bit of fun. Most come in dirty. Here are some tips to make bathing challenges a little easier to handle.
Cellular phones with built-in cameras have made taking pictures of the pets we groom easy and convenient. Groomers can take quick snapshots of pets on the grooming table or even set up a dedicated space with backdrops to take more formal portraits of pets. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your photo sessions.
Modern technology has changed the way we groom. Here is an example. In past years, many groomers brushed and clipped pets before bathing them. Once some of the hair was removed, the pet got washed, dried, and finished. The advent of more effective pet hair care products and, perhaps more importantly, bathing systems helped turn the tide. Now, most contemporary stylists put almost all the dogs they groom in the tub before doing anything else. There are many benefits to pre-washing pets.
The most crucial grooming tool you have is your body. Pet grooming can strain the back, hands, feet, and legs tremendously. It is not too late to start if you have not taken good care of yourself up until now.
Here are some ideas that will help you support your body.
As an apprentice groomer in the 1980s, I was taught to pluck every last strand out of the ears of any pet that had hair sprouting from that orifice. Back then, groomers went through ear powder like crazy, and many of us sported calluses on our thumbs from the hemostats we used to pluck all that ear hair. Fast forward 40 years, and times have, thankfully, changed.
Long-time pet stylists know this unspoken rule: a full appointment book offers job security. So if your appointment book is lighter than what you would like, how are you going to fix it? Here are a few ideas to help you boost your number of daily grooming appointments.
Everyone’s got a favorite comb and which type and brand is probably based on what breeds and coat types frequent that salon. But there are a few that I consider absolute necessities that I could not do without. Or, if you took all my combs away but these– I could still groom every dog that walked into the shop.
Most groomers would love to be a little faster at their work. That whole "Time is Money" thing is easily illustrated in a grooming business. But rushing is a bad idea. Because dogs and cats are so sensitive to our moods and actions, a harried, hurried groomer can cause the animal she is working on to act up and behave in ways that slow the process down.
Imagine a Christmas Tree at your grooming business that is completely covered from bottom to top with adorable plush dog toys. As each dog completes their pre-holiday grooming session, its owner is instructed to choose any toy they wish from the tree for their pet. If their dog is not a fan of plush toys (or eats them!), there is also a stack of soft fleece blankets by the tree to be gifted instead.
You know that customer. The one that when their name shows up on caller ID, you cringe. The one that, when you see them on the calendar, makes you wish you had called in sick.
